The White Horse Press

Environmental Values

Contents of Volume 17

Other volumes of EV

WHP logo Environmental Values


How Much is that Ecosystem in the Window? The One with the Bio-diverse Trail

Clive L. Spash

Environmental Values 17(2008): 259-284. doi: 10.3197/096327108X303882

ABSTRACT

Ecosystems are increasingly characterised as goods and services to allow their valuation in monetary terms. This follows an orthodox economic approach to environmental values, but is also being undertaken by ecologists and conservation biologists. There then appears a lack of clarity and debate as to the model of human behaviour, specific values and decision process being adopted. Arguments for ecosystems service valuation are critically appraised and the case for a model leading to value pluralism is presented. The outcome is to identify the need for value articulating processes which involve open deliberative judgment rather than instantaneously stated preferences, concealed expert opinion and global cost-benefit analysis.

KEYWORDS

Biodiversity, ecosystems services, economic valuation, judgement


This article is available online (PDF format) from Ingenta Journals. Access is free if your institution subscribes to Environmental Values. Reprints of this article can be ordered from ingenta or the British Library

Contact the publishers for subscriptions and back numbers of Environmental Values.

Other papers in this volume

THE WHITE HORSE PRESS
1 Strond
ISLE OF HARRIS HS5 3UD, UK
Tel: +44 1859 520204